


Gone Fishing

by A_Damned_Scientist



Category: Farscape
Genre: Challenge Response, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-20
Updated: 2018-01-20
Packaged: 2019-03-07 09:16:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13431645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Damned_Scientist/pseuds/A_Damned_Scientist
Summary: You can never go home again...





	Gone Fishing

**Author's Note:**

> Another oldie, posted here for posterity.
> 
> A bunch of fics (introduced by a couple of bletherings) written for a LJ 9-prompts bingo challenge.
> 
> Thanks to Vinegardog for the prompt to write about Terra Firma.
> 
> Disclaimer: No money made, Farscape is not mine.

Alternate Episode Title:

Gone Fishin’

Synopsis:

After three and a bit years in a distant part of the Universe, lost astronaut John Crichton finally makes it home to Earth, only to discover that his dad doesn’t understand his cryptic piscatorial shit-test and that his ex, Caroline, is still blonde and still strangely single. Even worse, John thinks it’s not safe for everyone else on Earth with him there. He goes off anyway with Caroline for a fishing-with-sex weekend but when he comes back the Grinch attacks and steals Christmas. In B-plots, Chiana goes shopping, D’Argo gets grumpy(er), Noranti plays with Earth-drugs, Rygel is in gastro-heaven and Aeryn behaves like a love-struck teenager over John, fishing for reassurance from John’s family and even Caroline before rediscovering her mojo through the medium of how good it feels to shoot things. Specifically the Grinch Skreeth. Oh, and unlikely romance blossoms between Sikozu and an oddly altruistic Scorpy.

Guest Star:

Sarah Enright, a minor, ‘never heard of her before or since’ actor played John’s sister Olivia Crichton. And, accent aside, turned in one of the most memorable performances of a minor guest character on this or any other show. Maybe it was the script, although she had precious few lines and very little screen time? I think it was the fact that we get a good feel for her in other episodes, too, but more than that she was a female reflection of what John had been like at the very start of the show – full of innocence and optimism, wanting to befriend and see the best in everyone. As such, she highlighted the very dark places that John had since travelled to.

Six Word Story:

Olivia served dinner: “Bass or trout?”

Trope: You Can’t Go Home Again:

TVTropes is in agreement with me on this. Poor John just Can’t Go Home. Earth has changed while he has been gone, what with 9/11 and all, and he no longer sees things the way Erplings think he should. Yet there may be other reasons preying on his mind, too. Is it that he’s killed people… a lot of people? And that he’s willing to kill more if he thinks it necessary? That he is in love with an alien? That that alien happens to be an (admittedly repentant) Space Nazi? That even just his brief visit home leads to the murder of his best friend and his wife? Or is it just that he no longer really fancies blondes? No, I’ll leave the explanation to young Bobby and his video camera, as seen in flashback in the later episode ‘A Constellation Of Doubt’. Sorry I can’t find a clip of it on line:

Bobby: When you got back - what was the most different about Earth?

John: Nothing Bobby. Earth's pretty much the same.

Bobby: Are you different?

What follows is a remarkable piece of acting. To quote Jacob from TWOP “And for just a second, there's a look I don't ever want to see on another man's face.”

Missing Scene

Aeryn discretely spat the morsel of food into a paper napkin: it tasted like it was on fire. “I think I prefer food cubes!” she complained to D’Argo in Sebacean so that none of the humans could understand her.

“So much for second meal,” He chuckled and harrumphed in agreement, flashing Aeryn a conspiratorial grin and an arched eyebrow before setting down his own plate of half-eaten Earth-delicacies.

Aeryn looked across the hangar at the huddle of excited scientists and engineers gathered around her Prowler and braced herself for another difficult couple of hours. And that was when John appeared. He was full of bonhomie, even going as far as to rest his hand on her shoulder.

“Hey, Aeryn, you want to come over my dad’s house,” John burbled excitedly. “We’re decorating the tree.”

What the frell was he talking about? And why was he so hyped-up?

“I… I really, shouldn’t,” she demurred. “What if…?”

“Oh, go on,” John interrupted, all self-assured smiles. “Liv’ll be there. I know she’d love it if you came.”

“Well…” Aeryn considered the matter. And still couldn’t work out what was going on or what she ought to do.

“You go,” D’Argo waved Aeryn away. “I’ll keep an eye on your Prowler.”

Aeryn could scarcely believe how D’Argo was behaving, either. Ever since she had returned to Moya he had made no secret of the fact that he disapproved of her in general and of her attempts to repair her relationship with John in particular. If anything his attitude towards her had typically been even frostier than John’s.

There seemed to be only one way to find out what John was going on about, and she would be a fool to rebuke a friendly offer from D’Argo.

“Fine,” she nodded sharply to them both. “I’ll go.”

Free: Missing Scene Part 2

So that was it, was it? John had asked her to visit Jack’s house in order to humiliate her, to rub her nose in the fact that he had moved on? Aeryn sat quietly, hardly interested now in the family photo album propped on her and Olivia’s knees, trying not to let her hurt and anger show as John led Caroline, his perhaps-not-so-ex-girlfriend back into the living area.

“Aeryn, meet Caroline.” At least John had the decency to look uncomfortable as he introduced them. “Caroline, this is Aeryn.” He really did look embarrassed. Olivia and Jack didn’t exactly seem at ease either. Maybe he hadn’t planned this after all? That didn’t make it any less of an impossible situation, though. Aeryn fervently wished she’d stayed with D’Argo at the hangar.

“Oh, the girl from the TV, right?” Caroline beamed and held out a hand towards Aeryn. “I mean, from the spaceship!” She laughed at the clumsiness of her own words. Unsure what else to do, Aeryn forced her face into a tight lipped smile and reached out to shake the human woman’s hand.

“Yes, I’m from the spaceship.” It was going to be a long, awkward evening.

Minor Character POV: Caroline Wallace, the ex-girlfriend

What the hell had she been thinking, Caroline wondered to herself? John had been gone for nearly four years. Hell, back then she’d never expected their relationship to last the year out anyway. How had she ever let Holt and the MiB persuade her into this? Oh yes, she remembered: a few vague promises about what might be in it for her if she did what they told her to do, gift wrapping a few vague threats of what might happen if she didn’t.

She wasn’t 100% surprised John hadn’t really got with the programme, though. Even on their dirty weekend his mind had been elsewhere. A little gentle probing had suggested to her that John would really rather be with Aeryn, the alien who’d been at the Crichtons’ house when she’d gone over to rekindle old flames.

Caroline wanted out, but without incurring the wrath of the MiB by instigating it herself.

She sat in the garden, playing her part like a good girl, trying to work out what to do while Bobby, John’s nephew, chattered away. The Gods must have been listening to her thoughts, for at that moment Aeryn Sun, the object of John’s frustrated desires, opened the gate and came into the garden, heading her way.

If she could just push John and Aeryn together, perhaps that would help her to escape from this nightmare?

Alternate Ending

The rain was soft, gentle almost. It didn’t really disturb the mourners gathered at the funeral of Douglas and Laura Knox. If anything, it seemed kind of appropriate to John Crichton.

John had never given a eulogy before. How come so many people close to him had died and yet he had never said a formal word to mark their passing, to celebrate their lives? He couldn’t tell whether he had done his friends’ lives justice or made an ass of himself. Not that anyone seemed to be really listening – he reckoned they were all too wrapped up in their own grief or petty concerns to be taking in anything more than platitudes. But as he finished and took his place back amongst the other mourners Aeryn snagged his hand, squeezed it and held on tight.

“You spoke well,” she said softly. In English. John glanced across at her, taking in her long, rain-speckled black leather Peacekeeper coat. Oddly, it seemed the perfect choice of garment for a wet funeral on Erp – who knew? She flashed him a brief, supportive smile and then raised her chin, upwards and forwards, as though she were standing at attention. John ignored the rain trickling down his nose and the curious looks of a dozen or more of the gathered humans and stared at her profile, all the while holding on to her hand. How close had they come to losing each other? Pretty close.

He’d been a fool.

Later, as they were settling into the back seat of their car to leave the cemetery, Aeryn spoke again.

“Do you remember the rain, John?” Did he ever? He knew exactly what rain she was referring to. It had been three years ago on an alien recreation of Earth: Aeryn’s reaction to the rain that day had been one of almost childlike joy, despite the threats they were fleeing from. But, more than that, the sound of the thunderstorm had been the soundtrack to their first night together as lovers.

He had wanted to show her his world. Opportunities lost, opportunities wasted. Never again.

The car began to move, pulling away from the graveside. This time he snagged her hand. She looked at him quizzically. He knew why. Since her return from the assassins, months earlier, he had rarely instigated contact with her.

“Aeryn,” John replied softly, with a nod to show he remembered the rain. “We really need to talk.”

 

The end


End file.
